Clay Shirky tells a great story. Here Comes Everybody begins with a case of a lost phone in a taxi cab, and the extraordinary turn of events that led to the owner retrieving it. From photos posted online, to NYPD who were uninterested in following up, to taking it all online. Through that online publicity, the story got picked up by the NY Times and CNN, which put pressure on the police to track down the taxi. It’s a great example that illustrates the nuances, both good and bad, powerful and persistent that the Internet can unleash.

Throughout the book he weaves stories about the network effect, friends and friends of friends, and how that impacts information, organization, and the spread of ideas. Citing examples such as the SCO vs Linux court case and Groklaw, flash mobs and political organization, Shirky notes how all these events were influenced and facilitated by the Internet. Continue reading “Review: Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky”

Stumbling onto 800-CEO-Read, and their top books feature, I found Brogan and Smith’s work. Brogan’s blog intrigued me enough so I walked down to the Strand here in NYC to pick up a copy.

What I found was an excellent introduction to the nebulous world of social media marketing, where you find all sorts of advice and suggestions on how to engage your target audience. If you’re feeling like an ignoramus on matters of social media, Trust Agents is a great place to start and will give you ideas of how to ‘humanize’ your digital connections.

The authors illustrate the Trust Agent idea with Comcast Cares for example and how they engaged customers, and what worked so well for them. Or Gary Vaynerchuk and his game changing Wine Library TV about wine. He also emphasizes that building relationships online is a lot like building relationships in the real world a la Keith Ferrazzi of Never Eat Alone fame. Engage in meaningful ways with people, don’t market to them. Share valuable tidbits, and the community will reward you tenfold.

A ‘trust agent’ lives by six principles:

Make your own game – be willing to take risks and break from the crowd

Be ‘One of Us’ – be part of the community by doing your bit and contributing to it

The Archimedes Effect – leverage your own strengths wisely

Agent Zero – position yourself at the center by connecting people and groups

Human Artist – learn how to work with people; help others and be conscientious of etiquette